Our Mission

To preserve and protect threatened watershed, forests, wetlands and ecosystems surrounding the Village of Cumberland in the Puntledge and Trent Watersheds on Vancouver Island.

About Us

The Cumberland Forest cradles the Village of Cumberland, in the Comox Valley, on the eastern edge of Vancouver Island in the traditional territory of the K’omoks First Nation.

This beautiful mature Coastal Douglas Fir forest is filled with diverse flora and fauna, at-risk species, salmon bearing creeks, wetlands and riparian areas, 2 watershed systems, important logging and mining heritage landmarks and a robust community trail network.

The Forest is also part of an important habitat corridor that runs from the Beaufort Range and the Comox Glacier to the Salish Sea.

A vibrant community of conservationists, families, mountain bikers, runners, herbalists, hikers, artists, school groups, adventure racers, photographers, and many others consider the Cumberland Forest to be an integral part of a community that defines itself by it’s proximity to the woods – a Village in the Forest.

The Cumberland Forest is also privately owned as part of the legacy of the E&N Land Transfer in the 1870’s that saw over 2 million acres of land along the eastern side of Vancouver Island transfer into private hands in exchange for building a railway.

All the unprotected Cumberland Forest lands are slated to be logged.

The Cumberland Community Forest Society (CCFS) is dedicated to purchasing these lands and returning them to the community and the commons. To date, the CCFS has purchased 545 acres with the most recent purchase being completed on December 21st 2022. This recent purchase connects to Coal Creek Historic Park and protected areas in the Cumberland Forest and at Comox Lake. Together these parcels are forming a contiguous corridor of protected natural areas. We wish to see this important protected corridor continue to grow.

Together these protected areas form the "Cumberland Community Forest".

But we're not done yet!

The Cumberland Community Forest Society is moving forward with 3 major initiatives

1. Land Protection: identifying additional parcels of land for purchase and/or protection to connect with the existing protected areas.

2. Restoration: restoring trail erosion and braiding, abandoned infrastructure, creek systems and terrestrial and aquatic habitat.

3. Biodiversity: protection of species at risk, invasive species inventory and control, public education initiatives (like the Cumberland Bat Project) and K-9 outdoor education curriculum. 

Please join us today! One time donors, sustaining donors and business partnerships are all critical to our success. Sign up through Canadahelps.org or contact us today to find out more!